Police Officer (New Recruits and Laterals) - 2/26/2027 Testing Date

This job posting is for our February 26th testing date and may qualify you for the 83rd Springfield Police Academy, which begins June 7th, 2027.

If you require additional information or have questions, please contact Mark Barnum at mark.barnum@springfieldmo.gov or call 417-864-1595.

The Springfield Police Department is seeking to hire passionate new officers to make a positive impact in the Southwest Missouri area. Our department has one of the best training programs in the area, along with an abundance of diverse specialized units to experience, and an excellent benefits package.

We are looking for people who are dedicated and motivated to serve. Individuals who believe in constitutional, community-engaged policing and who are committed to protecting the rights of all people.

As a Springfield Police Recruit, you'll have received quality training through the Academy to prepare you for the position of Police Officer. After graduating the Academy, you will start off in patrol, responding to emergency and non-emergency calls for service and promoting the safety of the public and of fellow police officers. You will be a proactive member of our Department, engaging in community-oriented policing, traffic enforcement, and on occasion, special detail. SPD is one of the best agencies in Missouri for specialized assignments and promotional opportunities.

Through our 6-month paid Police Academy, as a Police Recruit you will develop skills to:

• Understand and enforce the law in order to provide quality service and assist in our mission to reduce crime within the City of Springfield
• Use modern policing methods to solve problems in our community while treating people fairly and with a helpful attitude
• Hold yourself and others around you accountable using sound moral principles that earn the public trust, respect, and confidence of the community
• Effectively communicate with citizens through active listening, compassion, and empathy

As a Lateral hire, you will have a shortened 1-month academy to learn about Springfield’s specific policies and procedures. Read more about our Lateral Program here.

Selection Process
Applicants must successfully complete the following steps in the hiring process before being hired as a Springfield Police Recruit and go through our Police Academy. To learn about the hiring process here.

• Written Exam
• Physical Agility Test
• Interview
• Background Investigation
• Drug Screen*
• Polygraph*
• Psychological Evaluation*
• Medical Examination*

*These examinations are completed after a conditional job offer is accepted.

We offer Testing and Relocation Assistance!
Testing
To help with costs incurred from traveling to participate in entry testing, travel vouchers are provided.

Distance Traveled Travel Assistance Provided

50-150 miles $50 travel voucher

150 miles or more $125 travel voucher
and 1 overnight hotel accommodation

Follow-up Testing and Post Offer
During the post-offer phase of the Officer selection process, on-site testing is required such as a polygraph and psychological examination. Testing is coordinated and accommodations are made so that the least amount of travel is required of our candidates. Additional assistance is available to help with costs incurred for both Police Recruits and Lateral Officer candidates.

Distance traveled Travel Assistance Provided

150 miles or more $125 travel voucher per visit
and 1 overnight hotel accommodation

50-150 miles $50 travel voucher per visit

Relocation
We love welcoming new Officers to our wonderful community. To make things easier, we offer relocation reimbursement. This benefit is offered to both new Recruits and Lateral Officer candidates.

Distance Traveled Reimbursement Amount

50-150 miles Up to $1,000

150-300 miles Up to $3,000

300 miles or more Up to $5,000

This application must be submitted to determine your eligibility to take the written exam. If you've read through this information and you're not ready to apply, consider getting more information by talking to a recruiter.

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Experience, Education, and Training

Police Recruit

• Must be a high school graduate or have a G.E.D

AND

• 21 years of age at or before being commissioned.

PREFERRED

• A degree from an accredited college or university.
• Experience or education in law enforcement.
• Class A P.O.S.T. certified peace officer or currently enrolled in a Class A P.O.S.T. program.
• Military service with an honorable discharge or honorable military service in national guard or armed forces reserves.
• Three (3) years of full-time employment.

Additional Requirements

• U.S. Citizen
• Excellent physical condition
• No felony convictions
• No conviction for domestic assault
• No more than one DWI conviction; and no DWI conviction in the past three years
• May not have two (2) moving violations from separate incidents within the past twelve months, or have been at fault in more than one (1) traffic crash/accident during the past twelve (12) months
• Meet vision and hearing standards
• No objectionable tattoos and no head, face or neck tattoos.

Police Officer (Lateral) Requirements
In addition to the requirements listed above, lateral candidates must possess the following:

• A MO POST Class A license (if candidate does not possess a MO POST Class A license, but possesses law enforcement certification through another state, he/she may participate in the testing process while seeking reciprocity through MO POST)

AND

• A minimum of two (2) years full time sworn police experience in any state within the last five (5) years. Police experience must include the primary duties of responding to calls for service, conducting preliminary and/or follow-up investigations of crimes, responding to traffic accidents and apprehending, detaining and arresting suspects.

For more information on essential functions and other requirements for Police Recruit, please se